Democrat Bernie Sanders and Republican Ted Cruz both scored weekend victories against their front-running rivals in a tightening race as the two major parties prepare to pick their White House nominee, reports AFP from Washington. Cruz, the Texas Senator, chipped away at fellow Republican Donald Trump’s lead by taking all 13 Colorado delegates at stake in a state Republican convention on Saturday, his fourth win in a row against the bombastic billionaire. That was in addition to another 21 delegates Cruz won in the state through a series of county elections, for a total of 34.
Colorado will send a total of 37 delegates to the Republican National Convention in July, including three unpledged delegates who are the party’s top leaders in the state.
“Today was another resounding victory for conservatives, Republicans, and Americans who care about the future of our country,” Cruz said in a statement.
“Utah, North Dakota, Wisconsin, and tonight’s incredible results in Colorado have proven this: Republicans are uniting behind our campaign because they want a leader with real solutions who will bring back jobs, freedom and security.”
Surprise win -
Sanders meanwhile pulled off a surprise win over rival Hillary Clinton in the Wyoming caucuses, his eighth victory in the last nine contests.
Despite the Democratic Senator’s 10-point lead over Clinton (55.7 percent to 44.3 percent), both candidates scored seven delegates each due to party rules in the overwhelmingly Republican state.
That means Sanders barely put a dent in Clinton’s more than 200-delegate lead.
But it gives the self-described democratic socialist another morale boost ahead of the crucial New York primary on April 19. Clinton remains the clear frontrunner for the Democratic party presidential ticket for November’s election, but Sanders has the momentum and has enjoyed a string of successes at the polls in recent weeks.